Drawing-board.



VW. L. FULTON. vDRAWING BOARD. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.22. 1916.

1,230,398. Patename 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' W. L. FULON'. DRAWING soms.'

APPLICTION FILED IAN.22, 19l6. 1,230,398. Patented June 19, 1917.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILBUR L. FULTOLL'OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

DRAWING-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed January 22, 1916. Serial No. 73,636.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBUR L. FULTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas Vand State of Nebraska, haveinvented a certain new.

and useful Improvement in Drawing Boards, of which the following is aspecication. j

This invention relates to drawing boards and provides a device of thisclass which may be taken apart and made into a compact package forshipment, whereby the bulk is reduced and risk of damage to the board islessened.

It is -essential that the Vdrawing board when set up shall present atrue plane surface freey from cracks, and'further that it shall provideat least one true straight edge to guide a T square. v

To accomplish th's purpose I construct a board of a plurality ofsections each provided with suitable means for engaging two metalliccross bars of special form. Each of the cross bars is provided at oneorboth ends witha clamping means for urging the several sections intoclose edge contact. One

of the metal cross bars carries a straightV edge for guiding the Tsquare.. To protect the edges of the board sections when sepa-- rated, Iprovide a number of protector clips which may be applied so as to incasethe edges and prevent injury thereto.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of the lower side of adrawing board constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the board showing the mode of mounting thecross bars;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view lookingat the end of one crossbar andshowing its clamping plate released;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view looking at the end of the other cross bar, but showingthe clamping plate in holding position;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of two adjacent board sections slightlyseparated and showing the holding batten carried on the under side ofthese;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view transverse to one of the crossbars, showing the straight edge carried thereby;

Fig. S is a perspective View of this cross bar and its attachingstraight edge;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a protecting clipmounted on the edge of one of the board sections; and

Fig. 10 is a section through a modified form of the device.

The board illustrated is composed of three sections 11. Each section isformed on its rear face with transverse grooves 12 and 13, the grooves13 being located at or very near one end of each of the respectivesections., Each of the grooves 12 and 13 is provided with a batten 14T-shaped in cross section, the battens 14 being preferably of metal.They thus serve both as a means of attaching the cross bars hereinafterdescribed and also as a means for preventing warping of the boardsections. The cross bars are preferably composed of two chords 15 and16, tied together by bridging pieces 17 this form being adapted tosecure strength with lightness. The chords 15 of the cross bars areprovided with pairs of opposed overhanging lugs 18, so formed as closelyto embrace the heads of the T- shaped battens 14.. The lugs 18 arepreferably so spaced as to grasp the battens 14 adjacent leach edge ofeach 4board section, thus securing accurate alinement of the topsurfaces of adjacent sections.

One cross bar, c. that which grasps the battens in the'notch 13 near theedge of the board, carries a metal or other straight-edge 19 whichextends upward and along the edge of the board to guide the T square asalready suggested.'

Each of the cross bars is provided at one or both of its ends with anadjustable tensioning means for"pressing the board sections into closecontact with each other. A tension screw 20threaded into the end of .thecross bar passes through' a slot 21 of a resilient metal plate 22. Thisplate bears against the shoulder on a thrust screw 23 and also againstthe end of a batten 14. Any desired stress may be placed upon the boardsections by proper adjustment of the screws 20 and 23 as will beapparent from an examination of Fig. 2. When it is desired to separatethe board sections, one set of screws 20, 23 on each cross bar isloosened, the screw 23 being turned to clear plate 22, so that this maybe slipped downward upon the screw 20 to permit the withdrawal of theboard sections from engagement with the cross bars. lVhen only onetensioning device is provided on each cross bar, a fixed stop lug isused in place of the plate 22 which is in effect an adjustable stop.

After the board sections have been separated in this way, their edgesare protected by means of resilient U-shaped metal clips 2l which areslipped over them. See Fig. 9. Thus protected the board sections and thecross bars may be safely transported and when needed for use are freedof the protecting clips; brought into engagement with the cross bars andthen locked together by the use of the resilient clamping plates. Themetal parts may be nicely machined thus insuring an accurate fit of allthe parts, and as the battens will prevent warping of the boardsections, a true surface is assured. The particular' form of the partsis subject to variation, for example, the cross bars and battens may bedesigned to engage in a number of ways.

ln Fig. l0 I illustrate a modification in which the engaging parts arereversed, the T head being put on the cross bar and the el'lgaging lugson the board sections. In this case two battens 25 are mounted in eachof the grooves on the upper sections, the battens being provided withlateral grooves to receive the flanged head 2G of cross bars indicatedgenerally by the numeral 27.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is l. In a drawingboard, the combination of a plurality of separable sections capable ofbeing assembled edge to edge to present a suitable drawiiig-supportingsurface; cross bars extending transversely to said sections;interengaging members carried by said cross bars and each of saidsections for rcleasably connecting said sections to said cross bars; andmeans for forcing said sec` tions edgewise into contact and holding thesame in engagement with said cross bars.

ln a drawing board the combination of a plurality of separable sectionscapable of being assembled edge to edge to present a suitabledrawing-supporting surface;

transverse battens on each of said sections; cross bars adapted to slidelongitudinally into locking relation with the battens of a plurality ofassembled sections; and clamping means for forcing said sections intoclose edge contact and for holding the same in engagement with saidcross bars.

In a drawing board, the combination of a plurality of sections capableof being assembled edge to edge to present a suitable drawing-supportingsurface; transverse battens having over-hanging flanges mounted on thebacks of each of said sections; cross bars having projecting portionsadapted to slide longitudinally into engaging relation with theoverhanging fianges of the battens on a plurality of assembled sections;and clamps carried by said cross bars for forcing said sections intoclose edge contact.

el.. In a drawing board, the combination of a plurality of sectionscapable of being assembled edge to edge to present a suitabledrawing-supporting surface; cross bars eX- tending transversely to saidsections; a straight edge carried by one of said cross bars, andextending along the ends of the sections when assembled; and releasableinterlocking means between said sections and cross bars for holding saidsections in assembled relation.

5. In a drawing board, the combination of a plurality of sectionscapable of being assembled edge to edge to present a suitabledrawing-supporting surface; transverse battens having overhangingflanges mounted on the backs of each of said sect-ions; cross barshaving projecting portions adapted to slide longitudinally into engagingrelation with the overhanging flanges of the battons on a plurality ofassembled sections; a straight edge carried by one of said cross barsand extending along the ends of said sections; and clamps carried bysaid cross bars for forcing said sections into close edge contact.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

VILBUR L. FULTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

